Mets-Braves doubleheader will determine NL playoff field

Technically talking the 2024 Main League Baseball season was imagined to conclude on Sunday, with an off-day earlier than the playoffs opened on Tuesday.

That plan is out the window with two completely large video games on Monday that can decide the rest of the Nationwide League playoff subject.

These two video games simply so occur to be a doubleheader between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, making up two video games that have been postponed this previous week attributable to hurricane Helene rolling via Georgia. 

These video games, which start at 1 p.m. ET in Atlanta, will break what’s a three-way tie with the Mets, Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks for the ultimate two wild-card spots within the Nationwide League.

Listed here are the eventualities that may nonetheless play out.

If the Mets and Braves each win one recreation of the doubleheader, each will make the playoffs and the Diamondbacks shall be eradicated.
If one of many Mets or Braves sweeps each video games of the doubleheader, that group will make the playoffs, the loser of each video games shall be out, and the Diamondbacks will get the remaining playoff spot.

That’s quite a lot of drama to conclude the season. 

It will be particularly irritating for the Diamondbacks who can do nothing however sit and watch after they gained their regular-season finale to the San Diego Padres on Sunday. 

That doesn’t even get into the fallout that would come from the Mets and Braves ought to they advance. 

Not solely are they each going to must burn via two beginning pitchers and doubtlessly their bullpens, they’ll don’t have any break day earlier than having to leap proper right into a playoff sequence towards both the San Diego Padres or Milwaukee Brewers. 

It’s the results of a wild sequence of occasions nevertheless it actually units the stage for one of many craziest endings to an everyday season we’ve ever seen. It will great drama and stress for the groups concerned and followers of every group. Will probably be great theatre for baseball followers that don’t have any rooting curiosity and simply wish to see winner-take-all video games.